Watching the things you neglect to notice
Can you remember a time as a child that you lay on your back in the grass watching the clouds? Tired and sweaty from running or playing, you plopped down alone or maybe with siblings or friends. Gazing long enough into the billowy clouds floating by, forming and reforming, you call out what you see. Elephant! Dog! Superman!
Or, do you recall a time in early childhood or adolescence that you were out late at night, with the magnitude of the universe impressed upon you by a sky full of stars? Crisp evening air awakening your lungs to that vibrant moment of life? Wondering how you got here, how big the cosmos really is, you were struck by the massive scale of it all.
Perhaps you remember the passionate days of young love or maybe love for the young. You could gaze into each others eyes for hours, overwhelmed by the beauty before you, the nuances of another person. Or, if you pivot to the context of watching a newborn baby, you may well remember how you needed no other entertainment. Simply watching the baby, this miracle of life, kissing those soft cheeks, you sensed that this was a precious moment.
Gazing deeper. Watching the things you neglect to notice. If it’s been a while since you immersed yourself in the beauty and wonder of life, create some space to do so. Yes, you may feel silly at first. But, go out to your patio chair on a warm afternoon with clouds floating by, and just watch for at least 10 minutes. Or slip out into your backyard before bedtime and ease back to ponder the stars and regain a sense of perspective.
Maybe the eyes you once gazed into are gone, or at least surrounded by wrinkles and tired from the grind. But if you look closely enough, you may still see that spark that first drew you in. Yes, they will ask what you are doing. But blame it on this blog post. Everyone likes to be admired. And if you happen to have a baby or small child in your life, you’re probably already doing this, but do so intentionally anyway.
Gazing deeper rather than rushing past, you will be refreshed by watching the things you neglect to notice.
Worth Repeating
Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze.
-Galileo Galilei
